| WHSA Meeting Information | Resources | State-Based Training and Technical Assistance | WHSA Staff Affiliate Scholarships | 2009 Achieving Excellence Awards | Finding Your Way | Conference Steering Committee |
WHSA provides a unique opportunity for Head Start management level staff to participate in training and networking in several key service areas. The peer meetings are facilitated by a selected peer from each of the service areas and take place in conjunction with the WHSA quarterly meetings.
The following service areas meet once per year:
- Disabilities Service (fall quarterly meeting)
- Early Childhood Education (fall quarterly meeting)
- ERSEA - Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (winter quarterly meeting)
- Family and Community Partnerships (spring quarterly meeting)
- Fiscal Services (summer quarterly meeting)
- Health & Nutrition (winter quarterly meeting)
- Human Resources (summer quarterly meeting)
- Technology Services (summer quarterly meeting)
- Transportation (winter quarterly meeting)
For specific meeting dates, location, and content please see the WHSA Events page.
2008 Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards
Wisconsin Early Childhood Career Guide
State-Based Training and Technical Assistance
OVERVIEW
The State-Based Training and Technical Assistance (SBTTA) Office is replacing the Region 5 Technical Assistance Network as the T/TA provider to Wisconsin Head Start and Early Head Start grantees, as the Head Start Act of 2007 requires the establishment of SBTTA system. This system is required to address the needs of local grantees by providing high quality, sustained and intensive training and technical assistance to grantees to improve their capacity to deliver services that meet or exceed the standards described in section 641(a)(1) of the Act. Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) is the contractor for the Wisconsin SBTTA Office, as well as the contractor in 16 other states.
There are two parts to the SBTTA System:
1. The SBTTA Office addresses the needs of local Head Start grantees through statewide and cluster events.
2. Grantee Performance Support Specialists (GPSS) will deliver individualized technical assistance to local HS/EHS grantees.
The SBTTA Office will not provide individualized technical assistance directly to HS/EHS grantees under phase one of the SBTTA contract. Individualized TA will be performed by GPSS awarded under a separate contract. Until the second phase of the contract is awarded, the current TA Specialist assigned to each WI grantee will continue to provide support and on-site technical assistance under a bridge contract (please see contact information below).The Wisconsin SBTTA Office of will address the needs of HS/EHS grantees through a variety of TTA strategies that, when combined, may well foster the development of learning organizations including:
- Comprehensive needs assessment conducted at regular intervals to identify grantee critical needs.
- Focused instructional design methods and use of evidence-based practice/relevant research in training design.
- Proven strategies to support the effective delivery of training content.
- Opportunity to encourage collaboration and learning within teams and organizations.
- Consistent follow up strategies to support application of knowledge and skills in the workplace.
- Ongoing continuous improvement, including overall program evaluation and individual event evaluation conducted throughout the project cycle.
- Joining efforts already in place among the providers of early childhood professional development within the state.
SBTTA Office Objectives:
1. Assess Head Start Grantees needs to determine training and technical assistance priorities for the state.
2. Provide training and technical assistance support through cluster, state and technology based trainings events.
3. Collaborate with the early childhood community to support research, analysis, and implementation of strategies to improve the system of early childhood in the state.
For more information about the Wisconsin SBTTA Office please contact:
Booz I Allen I Hamilton
Wendy Bowe, WI Head Start TTA Office Project Manager
500 Ernstmeyer Drive, Baraboo, WI 53913
608-355-0996
bowe_wendy@bah.com
Wisconsin SBTTA Office Staff
Wendy Bowe, Project Manager
608-355-0996
Rita Elliot-Greathouse, Head Start Specialist - Infant/Toddler
847-263-8928
elliottgreathouse_rita@bah.com
Dan Stickler, Head Start Specialist - Program & Design Management/Fiscal
Jen Bailey, Head Start Specialist - Health/Mental Health/Disabilities
608-448-2751
Finding Your Way:
Focus on Full Working-Day Services
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 · Heidel House Resort, Green Lake
As a follow-up event to the 2008 Finding Your Way: Building Community Approaches to HS/4K, WHSA, HSSCO, SBTTAO, DPI, and the WI Early Childhood Association (WECA), developed a forum to engage leaders from the Head Start, childcare, and public school 4K communities in productive discussions about the current and future status of partnerships to provide full working-day services to the families they serve. Like the need for guidance on establishing and maintaining successful HS/4K partnerships, the HSSCO Needs Assessment data outlined the need for partner communication, planning, and action to grow full working-day services in our State.
2009 Finding Your Way objectives included:
- Creating better outcomes for children and families served through full working-day partnerships;
- Networking with fellow HS/4K/childcare leaders to discuss how to produce successful partnership;
- Promoting partnerships in rural areas where families face a lack of service options;
- Sharing positive strategies to problem-solve collaborative challenges; and
- Providing participants with materials, resources, and references to enhance existing and future partnerships.
To meet the above objective the event’s training design featured a panel presentation from HS program leaders and representatives from their childcare/4K partners currently involved in thriving collaborations to provide full working-day services. Additionally, participants were able to engage in a question and answer session with the panelist to gain clarity and individualized guidance. Small groups of leaders participated in Strategy Sessions to problem-solve for common collaborative barriers like: funding childcare options, parent programming/program scheduling conflicts, lack of transportation, staffing, adequately supporting working families, and childcare subsidies. Based on feedback from the 2008 iteration of Finding Your Way, the training design also included an increased amount of time for local partners to process what they learned during the day’s events and to plan for action when returning to their programs.
Over 50 individuals from 26 HS/EHS programs, partner childcare agencies, school district 4K program, or state organizations/departments participated in the event.
Looking for ideas generated during either iteration of Finding Your Way? You can access the 2009 Strategy Session notes here and look for more information about the 2008 FYW below! You may direct questions related to these materials to the Wisconsin Head Start Association at 608-442-6879 or email Molly at kovarik@whsaonline.org.
Building Community Approaches to HS/4K
Tuesday, October 21, 2008 · Heidel House Resort, Green Lake
The Wisconsin Head Start Association (WHSA), the Region 5 Technical Assistance Network’s Wisconsin TA Specialists, the Wisconsin Head Start State Collaboration Office (HSSCO), and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) offered Finding Your Way: Building Community Approaches to HS/4K, a half-day forum intended to engage both the Head Start and school district 4K communities in fruitful discussion about the current and future status of HS/4K partnerships in Wisconsin.
The sponsoring agencies outlined the following objectives for Finding Your Way:
Exploring how to create better outcomes for children and families services through preschool partnerships;
Networking with fellow HS/4K leaders to discuss how successful partnerships can be produced;
Promoting partnerships in rural areas where families may lack service options;
Sharing positive strategies to problem-solve collaborative challenges; and
Providing participants with materials, resources, and references to enhance existing and developing partnerships.
Over 70 HS/4K leaders from across Wisconsin participated in Finding Your Way. Participants represented 18 school districts, 20 Head Start programs, and included 9 state or regional level representatives as well as two regional Collaboration Coaches from the Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners (WECCP). Current HS/4K leaders gained a greater sense of how to best shape and influence unique approaches for improving their current partnerships. The forum was informative and enlightening for those investigating best practices for initiating future partnerships between local HS programs or school districts.
To learn more about the event's content, you can access the "Strategy Session Notes" and "Evaluation Summary" here! You may direct questions related to these materials to the Wisconsin Head Start Association at 608-442-6879 or email Molly at kovarik@whsaonline.org.
WHSA Staff Affiliate Scholarships
Each year, the WHSA Staff Affiliate awards four scholarships to current Head Start/Early Head Start program staff members so that they may pursue higher learning at an accredited institution in which they are enrolled. 2010 WHSA Staff Affiliate materials will be available in early 2010. Check back or contact the WHSA office for more information.
2009 Achieving Excellence Awards
The 23rd Annual Achieving Excellence Awards Luncheon took place on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at the Heidel House Resort in Green Lake as part of the WHSA Fall Quarterly meeting.
WHSA Parent Affiliate "Positive Opportunities for Parents" (POP) Scholarship Winners
LORI CURTIN CAP Services Head Start Program
APRIL KOVARS Southwest CAP Head Start & Early Head Start Program
ALAN McCORMICK Southwest CAP Head Start & Early Head Start Program
WHSA Staff Affiliate Scholarship Winners
Corrine "Corky" Mikus Memorial Scholarship
JULIA AMSTUTZ Rock-Walworth Comprehensive Services Head Start & Early Head Start Programs
John Erickson Memorial Scholarship
MEGAN GRIFFITH Rock-Walworth Comprehensive Services Head Start & Early Head Start Programs
Joyce E. Wilcox Memorial Scholarship
MINDY BOOS AUW-Oshkosh Head Start Program
Staff Affiliate Scholarship
ANA MARIE RAMON UW-Oshkosh Head Start Program
WHSA Community Partner Awards
Local/Community Partner
Emma Peterson, BookWorms Coordinator
Reading Acquisition Program, Marquette University
Rock-Walworth Comprehensive Services Head Start & Early Head Start Programs
State Partner
Delta Dental of Wisconsin
Bob Walker, Corporate Communications Manager
Nominated by Next Door Foundation, Inc. Head Start & Early Head Start Program
2008 ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE AWARDS RECIPIENTS
POP ScholarshipsKatrina Meade
Rock-Walworth Comprehensive Services Head Start Program
Tina PauleyCESA 2/Jefferson County Head Start Program
Felicia Sather
CESA 11 Head Start Program
Staff Affiliate Scholarships
Robin Wauchop, Corrine "Corky" Mikus Memorial
Rock-Walworth Comprehensive Family Services Head Start Program
Christina Johnson, John Erickson Memorial
ADVOCAP Head Start Program
Claudia Roque, Joyce E. Wilcox Memorial
ADVOCAP Head Start Program
Debra Roche, Staff Affiliate
UW Oshkosh Head Start Program
Community Partners
Dr. Maura Jones Moyle, Dr. Brenda Gorman, and Sue Berman M.A.Reading Acquisition Program, Marquette University
Nominated by Day Care Services for Children, Inc.Head Start ProgramDr. Sebastian Ssempijja
Sebastian Family Psychology Practice
Nominated by Next Door Foundation, Inc. Head Start & Early Head Start Program
Our community, state, and legislative partner Achieving Excellence Award recipients 1987-2007.
WHSA Training Conference Steering Committee
2011 WHSA Annual Training Conference Steering Committee
2011 Conference Chair
Kelly Butzlaff, Chair
UW-Oshkosh
Decorations
Beverly Underwood, Chair
Renewal Unlimited, Inc.
Becky Minning
Sheboygan Human Rights Association
Exhibitors
Julie Perkovich, Chair
Sheboygan Human Rights Association
Cathy Adelman
Sheboygan Human Rights Association
Hospitality
Kathy Gorrell, Chair
Rock-Walworth Comprehensive Family Services, Inc.
Keynote
Carol Keintz, Chair
Next Door Foundation
Marketing
Mary Anne Wieland, Chair
Jefferson County/CESA 2
Julie Perkovich
Sheboygan Human Rights Association
Parent Involvement
Kelly Butzlaff, Chair
UW Oshkosh
April Kendle
Urban Day School
Program & Evaluation
Cathy Howe-Thwaits, Chair
Marathon County Child Development Agency, Inc.
Yolanda Winfrey
Urban Day School
David Allen Wroblewski
Sparrow Training & Technical Assistance Solutions
Registration
Mary Degner, Chair
Jefferson County/CESA 2
Latrice Robinson
Urban Day School
Volunteers
Betty Clausen, Co-Chair
ADVOCAP, Inc.
WHSA Staff
Shelley Cousin, Executive Director
Molly Kovarik, Assistant
